We are all familiar with the phrase “A healthy pet is a happy pet” – but there is probably also something to be said for keeping your hamster happy in order to maintain its health. If you know your pet you will probably quickly recognise the signs that suggest it is not well.
A healthy hamster will have bright eyes, clean ears, eyes and nose and be interested in what is going on around it.
If your hamster’s weight remains constant then they are eating the right amount of food. You should be concerned if their appetite or water consumption suddenly changes or they suddenly start to gain or lose weight. When in good condition the coat should be shiny, soft and free of parasites.
Your hamster must be fed a healthy diet and allowed regular exercise.
The closer your hamster’s diet and environment is compared to how it would eat and live in the wild, the healthier and happier it will be. Giving them plenty of enrichment in also hugely important for their mental wellbeing.
A healthy diet is a balanced diet containing all the nutrients your pet requires.
Hamsters are omnivores, which means that, like us, they naturally eat mainly vegetable matter, but to keep in good health require some food of animal origin as well, e.g. cheese, insects, meat, egg, etc.
If your hamster has a poor coat condition, dull eyes, dirty ears, eyes or nose it may indicate that they are unwell. Changes in behaviour (a normally happy and affectionate animal may become grumpy and avoid human contact, preferring to hide away by itself), altered appetite or water consumption should also alert you to the possibility that there may be a problem.
Most animals recover from illness in 24-48 hours – if your pet does not seem to be improving in this time or is getting worse then you should contact your vet.
